It is common in hearing devices that the user of a hearing device can adjust audio processing parameters such as parameters influencing the volume or the tonal balance, possibly even the compression, the beam-former setting, bass, treble or noise suppression. Usually, such adjustments are temporary, i.e. when switching off the hearing device, the adjustments are “forgotten”, i.e. reset to default values (default parameter settings). When a hearing device uses a classifier for classifying a current acoustic environment and selecting audio processing parameters in dependence of such a classification, the before-mentioned adjustments may even be “forgotten” as soon as the acoustic environment changes.
In a conventional procedure for optimizing the adaptation of the audio processing properties of a hearing device to the preferences of the user, the user will verbally report his preferences to his hearing device professional (audiologist, fitter) during a fitting session, and the hearing device professional will change the default parameter settings accordingly. This can be a rather cumbersome procedure.
From U.S. Pat. No. 5,604,812, a hearing device is known, which employs fuzzy logic or neural network technology in order to let the hearing device automatically calculate improved audio processing parameter settings. Such algorithms require large processing power and do sometimes provide unreliable results.
In US 2005/0129262 A1, a programmable auditory prosthesis with trainable automatic adaptation to acoustic conditions is disclosed.
US 2006/0215860 A1 discloses a hearing device and a method for choosing a program in a multi program hearing device.
US 2004/0208331 A1 discloses a device and a method to adjust a hearing device. The method comprises: inputting a desired setting value in the hearing device at a determinable point in time; measuring at least one sound quantity concerning a first environment situation at the determinable point in time; automatically learning setting values to be used, depending on the desired setting value and the at least one measured sound quantity; newly measuring at least one sound quantity concerning a second environment situation; and adjusting the hearing device to one of the setting values to be used with regard to the second environment situation.
In US 2006/0222194 A1 is disclosed a hearing aid for recording data and learning therefrom.
From EP 0 788 290 A1, a programmable hearing aid-device is known. It is disclosed to analyze audio signals in the frequency domain and to use the result of such an analysis for selecting stored parameters of an amplification and transmission member or for changing the amplification and transmission characteristics of the amplification and transmission member.
In EP 1 404 152 A2, a hearing-aid device is presented, which is adaptable to certain hearing situations. A continuous individual adaptation of the hearing-aid device in different hearing situations is achieved.
It is desirable to provide an alternative way of adapting the audio processing properties of a hearing system to the preferences of a user of the hearing system.